CHAP. XXVI.
THE GREATER PART OF THE TOWNS AND CASTLES IN THE DUCHY OF GUIENNE ENTER INTO TREATIES FOR THEIR SURRENDER, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BAYONNE.—BORDEAUX SURRENDERS.
On the 2d of June, the count de Dunois sent a detachment to lay siege to a town called Fronsac[123], while he remained in le Bourg to settle the future government of the country for the king's advantage. Having done this, he went in person against Fronsac, and sent a herald to summon Libourne[124] to surrender to the king. The inhabitants sent a deputation back with the herald to conclude a treaty with the count which being done, the care of the place was given to the count of Angoulême.
To return to the castle of Fronsac, which was the strongest in all Guienne, and has been always guarded by a garrison of native Englishmen, because it has a chambre royalle[125], and is the key to Guienne and the Bordelois. The English, therefore, necessarily made the greatest possible exertions in its defence, during a severe and well-conducted siege of a fortnight. The English, then, seeing the prodigious force brought against them, which was not a fourth part of the chivalry the king had in those parts, with the numerous train of battering cannon, and other artillery, and that the franc archers were then besieging four places at once, without a possibility of any one succouring the other, from the inundations of the Gironde and Dordogne, caused by the melting of the snows among the mountains, and also that the french army in Guienne was much superior to any the king of England could then bring against it: having considered all these things, the garrison in Fronsac demanded a parley with the count de Dunois, and concluded a treaty on the terms that if they were not reinforced, so as to be able to offer battle to the French on or before the eve of St John Baptist's day, they would surrender the place. In like manner were the barons of the country, and even the town, bounden to surrender; for the French depended on being powerful enough to reduce all the places in the duchy of Guienne, held by king Henry, to the obedience of the king of France,—and, for greater security, hostages were demanded and given.
The counts de Penthievre, de Nevers, de Castres, de Clermont, de Vendôme, grandly accompanied with many knights and esquires, came toward Fronsac about St John's day, to be present at the battle,—and the whole made a most magnificent appearance. There were made knights the count de Vendôme, the viscount de Turenne, the lord de la Rochefoucault, the son to the lord de Commercy, sir John de Rochedrouard, the lord de Grimaux, sir Pierre des Barres, sir Pierre de Montingrin, sir Ferry de Gransy, sir John de Bordeilles, the lord de Fontenelles, the bastard de Vendôme, sir John de la Haye, sir Tristan l'Hermite, sir John de l'Estrange, sir Pierre de Louvain, and others, to the amount of forty knights.
On the morrow, which was the eve of St John's day, the English, receiving no succour, delivered Fronsac into the hands of the count de Dunois, who appointed Joachim Rohault to the government of it. The lieutenant-general then sent a herald with letters to the count d'Armagnac, who was besieging Rions[126], and a duplicate of the treaty of Bordeaux; in consequence of which Rions surrendered, and was given to the guard of the lord d'Albreth. The herald then continued his road to the count de Foix, with another copy of this treaty, and letters,—and the city of Dax submitted to the obedience of the king of France.
When the commissioners from the count de Dunois had settled every thing for the surrender of Bordeaux, they returned to him, the chancellor, and other members of the king's council, with the articles of the capitulation mutually signed and sealed by each party. These lords and their companions were much rejoiced at this event,—and the surrender was delayed for eight days after the time fixed, for troops to arrive from England. Nevertheless those in Bordeaux, contrary to their engagements, in the full hope of succours arriving, demanded that a day should be appointed for the combat, which was granted by the count; and the 22d of June was fixed on for the battle, should succours arrive, otherwise they were to deliver up the town on that day.
The French, in expectation of a combat, or a surrender of the town, were drawn up in battle-array before it until sunset; when the men of Bordeaux, seeing no appearance of succour, ordered a herald to cry aloud for assistance from England for Bordeaux. No one making any answer, nor any reinforcements appearing, each party retired to their quarters, without more being then done.
The next morning, the chancellor and treasurer of France, with some others, came before the gates,—when it was agreed, that on the following Wednesday, the townsmen were to be prepared to deliver up the keys of all the towers, havens, gates and barriers of the said town, and to take the oaths of allegiance to the king of France, and become henceforward his loyal subjects, according to the promises they had made. The treasurer, John Bureau, in reward for the great diligence he had shown in the recovery of the duchy of Guienne, was made mayor of Bordeaux. For similar causes was Joachim Rohault made constable of the place, and he directly took the oaths at the hand of the chancellor; and the mayor did the same in the hands of the chancellor and constable on the following Wednesday, the day fixed on for the delivery of the town.
The inhabitants of Bordeaux and the neighbouring barons made great preparations for the honourable reception of the count de Dunois and his company. By orders from the lieutenant-general, sir Thibaut de Valpergue bailiff of Lyon, and John Bureau, the new mayor, first entered the city, to take possession of it in the king's name,—and all the different keys of the strong holds were presented to them. The franc archers were not permitted to join in this entry, as it was said, by desire of the inhabitants, but sent to quarter themselves in and about Libourne.
The entry commenced at sunrise by the gate, where were stationed the lords de l'Esparre, de Montferrant, and some nobles of the town and country. All the churchmen, as well monks as others, dressed in their copes and robes, came out to meet the lieutenant-general, and gave him a most honourable welcome. The archers of the van guard commenced the march, estimated at a thousand or twelve hundred men, under the command of Joachim Rohault, constable of Bordeaux, and the lord de Pavansac, seneschal of Toulouse. Then came the men at arms of the van on foot, estimated at three hundred, under their proper commanders, the marshals of Lohéac and de Jalognes, superbly mounted: then the counts de Nevers and d'Armagnac, and the viscount de Lautrec, brother to the count de Foix, with three hundred men on foot also. These were followed by the archers of the lord de la Bessiere, lieutenant to the count du Maine, in number, three or four hundred: then a whole battalion of archers, estimated at three thousand, under the command of the lords de la Bessiere and de la Rochefoucault: then three of the lords of the king's great council, namely, the bishop of Aleth[127], master Guy Bernard, archdeacon of Tours, and the bishop duke of Langres[128],—the chancellor de la Marche, and others the king's secretaries, who were followed by sir Tristan de l'Hermite, provost to the marshals, on horseback, with all his sergeants.
Four trumpeters of the king, with heralds and pursuivants dressed in the royal tabards, and in the coats of arms of the lords present, next entered the town, followed by a white hackney, covered with housings of crimson velvet, and on his crupper a cloth of azure velvet, with flowers de luce embroidered thereon: a small coffer, covered with azure velvet, with flowers de luce of solid silver in raised work was placed on the saddle, containing the great seal of the king. This hackney was led by a valet on foot, having two archers on each side in the king's livery. The chancellor followed on horseback, armed in a corslet of steel, over which was a jacket of crimson velvet.
The lord de Saintrailles, bailiff of Berry and master of the horse to the king, came next, mounted on a large war-horse covered with silk trappings. He was in full armour, and held one of the royal banners: the other was displayed on his left hand by the lord de Montagu, mounted also on a richly-dressed war-horse. They rode immediately before the lieutenant general, who was mounted on a white courser with trappings of blue velvet, loaded with raised work of solid gold. He was alone, and in full armour, but followed by the counts of Angoulême and Clermont in armour, and their horses and pages most richly dressed. Then came the counts de Vendôme and de Castres, with numbers of other barons and great lords, splendidly equipped. After them came the battalion of the men at arms, amounting to fifteen hundred lances, under the orders of sir James de Chabannes, grand master of the household, in complete armour, and his horse covered with rich housings.
Then entered the men at arms of the count du Maine,—in number, one hundred and fifty spears,—under the command of Geoffry de St Belin, bailiff of Claumont in Bassigny. The March was closed by the rear guard, consisting of the men of Joachim Rohault and the men at arms of the lord de Saintrailles.
The whole advanced unto the cathedral, where the lieutenant-general, the counts of Angoulême, of Vendôme, of Armagnac, of Castres, the chancellor, and several others, dismounted. The archbishop of Bordeaux met them at the gate of the church, clad in his pontificial robes, and attended by the canons of the cathedral. The archbishop, having sanctified the count with incense, and presented him with some relics and the cross, took him by the hand, and led him through the choir to the great altar, to perform his prayers. With the lieutenant-general, two of the king's heralds entered the church, dressed in tabards of the royal arms. All the nobles then followed,—and they left the king's banners in the church.
When the count and the other lords had ended their devotions, the archbishop took a missal, and made them swear, that the king would faithfully preserve and maintain them in their ancient rights and privileges. Having taken this oath, the count de Dunois made the archbishop swear that the count de l'Esparre, and the other lords having authority within the town, would behave always loyally and submissively to the king of France and to his government. In this oath he made all the commonalty present join, which they did, by extending their hands toward heaven, as is usual in such cases.
From this oath the captal of Buch was excepted, as he was then a knight-companion of the Garter, the order of the king of England.
When the lieutenant-general had devoutly heard mass, which was celebrated by the archbishop, and the 'Veni Creator,' &c. and 'Te Deum laudamus,' &c. that preceded it, to the ringing of all the bells at the different churches, he retired to his lodgings (as did the other lords to theirs) to partake of some refreshments, excepting the chancellor of France, the grand master of the household, and the chancellor de la Marche, who remained, to administer the oath to sir Olivier de Coictivy, seneschal of Guienne. The seneschal made a grand appearance, as he was attended by many of the king's officers, the barons and knights of Guienne, and the burghers of Bordeaux. He presented his commission to the chancellor of France, who, after reading it, made him swear that he would strictly administer justice, without partiality to poor or rich, as well in the said city of Bordeaux as throughout the whole duchy of Guienne. When this was done, the chancellor commanded all persons to obey the seneschal, in all things respecting his office, as they would the king in person.
When the lieutenant-general had regarrisoned Fronsac, he had the king's banner displayed on the castle,—and another was placed on the highest towers of the said town. He then issued a proclamation in the king's name, and in his own, to forbid any persons from taking the smallest article from the inhabitants without paying its full value, prior to the quartering of his troops, which was then done by persons appointed for that purpose. Scarcely was the dinner hour passed, when great murmurings were heard in the city against one of the king's troopers who had transgressed the proclamation. He was soon arrested and brought before a court of law to be examined; and when the lieutenant-general heard of it, and that he had confessed himself guilty, he ordered him instantly to be hanged. This act of justice gave great pleasure to the inhabitants of Bordeaux and the country round.
The count de Dunois had also a new gallows erected, to hang thereon five troopers, who, instigated by William de Flavy, had wounded sir Pierre de Louvain while on the king's service. They had watched him several days with the intent to murder him, in consequence of a quarrel that had taken place between the said Louvain and Flavy. Thus did the lieutenant-general deal strict justice to all,—and the execution of these malefactors was a good example, of great comfort to the burghers; for during the time they were under the English, they were kept so much in awe that they only received blows when they complained against any of them.
The count de Dunois remained in Bordeaux fifteen days, to regulate its future government; and those whom he appointed for the purpose acted with such prudence and moderation that not the smallest extortion or mischief was done to the city. Thus was the whole duchy of Guienne subdued, with the exception of the city of Bayonne. During this conquest, the count and all his officers, military and civil, showed the utmost activity and courage.
The count de Clermont was made governor of Bordeaux, and sir Olivier de Coictivy his lieutenant, who commanded the men at arms of his brother, Pregent de Coictivy, then admiral of France.
On the reduction of Bordeaux, the counts de Nevers, de Clermont, and de Castres were ordered to wait on the king at the castle of Taillebourg, and then to march to the cantonments that had been assigned them. The counts d'Armagnac, d'Angoulême, and de Penthievre were to return with their men to their own countries. The franc archers were also ordered home,—so that of the whole of this army, estimated at twenty thousand combatants, which had conquered Guienne, there only remained a small part in the duchy for the king's service.